Engagements between the Philippines and the United States are anchored on the promotion of peace and the protection of national interest, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said.
Mr. Marcos made the statement during a courtesy call of members of the US-ASEAN Business Council at the Malacanang Palace on Wednesday.
The President likewise confirmed his attendance to the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Leaders’ Meeting in the United States in November.
“With the US, our engagements are now grounded on a two-pronged, very simple foreign policy approach and that is the promotion of peace and of course the protection of the national interest,” he said.
“By shoring up our individual and collective capabilities, we are able to advance our countries’ as well as the Indo-Pacific Region’s security, stability, and economic prosperity.”
“The evolution of geopolitics and the global economy have lumped all of these elements [defense, security, and economic spheres] together, we cannot approach any of these elements separately without seeing the effects that one has on the other,” he added.
The US-ASEAN Business Council, for its part, pledged to pursue more investments in the Philippines.
Council president and chief executive officer Ted Osius said: “We’re very much focused and you highlight these themes on sustainable development, transformative digitalization, innovative healthcare solutions, supply chain resilience, and ease of doing business.”
“We are determined that we come here not just to talk but also to bring a lot of action to create real partnerships and to show our commitment in the form of investments,” he added.
Osius was joined by representatives of 30 companies – the largest delegation to visit the Philippines in the 40-year history of US-ASEAN Business Council.
Mr. Marcos acknowledged the council’s crucial role in Philippine economic development.
“I recognize the critical role that the United States and American businesses have played in advancing a robust and inclusive economic growth in the Philippines, not only in this period but for a very long time now,” he said.
“I invite the members of the esteemed Council to continue being valuable partners of the Philippines. Let us push for greater economic engagement between our two countries, for our mutual benefit, for the prosperity, especially of the region,” the President added.
Mr. Marcos said he will join other APEC leaders in California in November.
“I look forward to joining fellow APEC leaders in California this year. This will be my third trip to the US since I assumed office,” he said.
“The Philippines is actively participating in the Indo-Pacific economic framework and the APEC meetings leading up to the Leader’s Summit in San Francisco in November,” he added.
During last year’s APEC Leaders’ Summit in Bangkok, Mr. Marcos spoke about food security, climate change, and the need to shift to renewable energy, among others.
Before flying to the US for the APEC Leaders’ Meeting, the President is scheduled to travel first to Indonesia in September for the ASEAN Summit.